Miami Hurricanes to lose yet another assistant, as running backs coach Kevin Smith leaving
What’s that saying about when it rains?
Just when it seemed like the Miami Hurricanes were close to completing their football staff after several assistant coaches departed, head coach Mario Cristobal will be seeking yet another hire in the coming days.
The Miami Herald confirmed Tuesday evening through two sources that running backs coach Kevin Smith is leaving the program after one season to return to Ole Miss, as first reported by ESPN.
Smith, who played in high school at Miami Southridge, was a former NFL player and UCF star who coached the past two seasons under Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin. He had replaced former UM running backs coach Eric Hickson.
UM had one of the nation’s worst running attacks this past season, ranking 96th of 131 FBS teams by averaging 128.1 ground yards a game. The Canes’ running backs sustained several injuries, including two that were essentially season ending. Miami was led by Ole Miss transfer Henry Parrish’s 616 yards and four touchdowns.
Smith began his coaching career in 2017 at FAU in Boca Raton, where Kiffin was the coach. He stayed at FAU through 2019 and then went with Kiffin to coach the Rebels beginning in 2020.
Ole Miss’s rushing offense in 2021 ranked 12th nationally of 130 FBS teams, averaging 217.6 yards a game. Its scoring offense was ranked 24th, for 33.7 points a game.
Five UM assistants, including Smith, have left the program after one season. Offensive coordinator/receivers coach Josh Gattis was fired; quarterbacks coach Frank Ponce returned to Appalachian State as offensive coordinator; defensive coordinator Kevin Steele left to return to Alabama as the defensive coordinator; and co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Charlie Strong left after being passed over for the new coordinator’s job;
